CHARLESTON, Ill. – In their final tune-up before next week's Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Illinois State track & field program won nine events at the Eastern Illinois University Friday Night Special hosted on Friday, Feb. 19 at Lantz Fieldhouse.
Highlighting the day's wins was sophomore Brandon Ratliff who clocked in at 7.99 seconds to win the 60-meter hurdles. After entering the finals with the second-fastest time, Ratliff ran a lifetime best to secure the win and take sole possession of the No. 4 spot on the ISU indoor top-10 list. Currently leading the Valley with his time, he is one of only four Redbirds in school history to run sub-eight-seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.
Including Ratliff's win, the ISU sprinters won four of nine events, taking first in the men's 400m, the women's 4x400-meter relay and sweeping the 60-meter hurdles. Senior Mya Robinson ran a season-best of 8.69 seconds to win the 60-meter hurdles on the women's side, improving upon her already Valley leading time. Running the 400m for the first time during the shortened indoor season, junior Kai Larson crossed the finish line in 51.02 seconds to get the win. The women's 4x400m relay of Audrey Harrod, Kyra Dalluge, Bri Buggs and Sabrina Schlenker finished with a combined time of 4:16.19 to beat Valley foe, Evansville.
Winning both of his events for the second time this season, redshirt-junior Logan Calvin took first in the weight throw with a mark of 19.95 meters (65-5.5 ft.) and the shot put with a throw of 17.67 meters (57-11.75 ft.).
The pole vaulting duo of Nicole Bagwell and Eddie Winner swept the event with Bagwell clearing 3.80 meters (12-5.5 ft.) to win and Winner vaulting 5.00 meters (16-4.75 ft.) for the second time this season. The pair each ranks No. 1 in the Valley with Bagwell looking to win her first conference title at the 2021 championships and Winner aiming to repeat after his MVC title last season.
Freshman Khalil Ross picked up his second win in as many meets in the triple jump, leaping to a personal-best mark of 13.58 meters (44-6.75 ft.). He heads into the MVC Indoor Championships with the fifth-best mark in the conference.
UP NEXT
The Redbirds will go for two conference team titles next weekend at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb. 26-28 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
PERSONAL-BESTS
Khalil Ross, Triple Jump, 13.58m (44-6.75 ft.)
Joe Boyer, Weight Throw, 16.63m (54-6.75 ft.)
Payton Smith, Weight Throw, 16.46m (54-0 ft.)
Josh Schmid, Weight Throw, 15.49m (50-10 ft.)
Josh Schmid, Shot Put, 14.76m (48-5.25 ft.)
Payton Taylor, Shot Put, 14.84m (48-8.25 ft.)
DeMariye Carpenter, 60m, 6.94
Brandon Ratliff, 60m hurdles, 7.99
Kyle Langellier, 400m, 52.33
Bri Buggs, 60m, 7.96
Bri Buggs, 200m, 25.61
Zofia LeHew, Long Jump, 5.26m (17-3.25 ft.)
In accordance with state and local guidelines, fans are currently not allowed to be in attendance at home ISU Athletics events. Game dates, opponents, times and locations are subject to change.
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